Bird flu re-emerges in Suphanburi and Kampaengpetch

SUPHANBURI: -- Thailand's central province of Suphanburi and northern province of Kampaengpetch have been re-declared close observation areas after the H5N1 bird flu virus were found in the provinces' chicken flocks recently.

Director-General of the Department of Livestock Development Yukol Limlamthong told journalists on Friday that labouratory tests had confirmed that samples of fowls in the two provinces had contracted the deadly avian flu virus.

"Chicken samples from 13 areas in Suphanburi and a village in Pang Silathong District of Kampaengpetch Province were confirmed to have infected with the H5N1 virus", he disclosed.

The laboratory tests were conducted between 1-21 July, he noted.

More than 107,000 fowls in the bird flu recurrent areas had already been destroyed, he said.

Results of the laboratory tests of more poultry samples in about 40 other areas of nearly 20 provinces across the country are expected soon, according to Mr. Yukol.

He conceded that convenient communications in Suphanburi and its good location as a hub of all animal farms and rice fields makes it more difficult to contain the spread of the avian flu.

An overall 'clean up' with chemical spraying in the affected areas of the province is, therefore, need to be conducted urgently by next week to control the bird flu pandemic, he said.

--TNA 2005-07-22

Yes I would say a complete clean up needed to be done urgently. Talk about stating the obvious. Thanks Mr Yukol for pointing that out. This thing just gets bigger and bigger despite the government saying how they've got it all under control. (I just re-read that last part and don't believe I actualy said it)

Edited July 22, 200520 yr by Jimmy in Bangkok

We live about 20 km from Pang Silathong.

I will have to tell my wife in the morning (I am in Pakistan).

Why keep saying it re-emerges when it never was eradicated in the first place. With the size of the provinces in Thailand, it surely is not a provincial matter.

I predict they'll soon announce cases in Chonburi when I know from a reliable source it was never dealt with properly. The virus can be found on 80% of the farms.

Here in the Kamphaeng Phet province I have been brought to understand that many move their fowl into more remote areas once the disease is reported or observed in the hope that it will blow over as do all others problems in Thailand. This disease will not be eradicated until the farmers top treating their chickens as pets and letting them roam at will. Kill all the darned chickens and start over. Even in areas where the infected fowl have alledgedly been eradicated, there seem to be a lot of chicks around. Where do the eggs come from?

Even though I consider myself a lover of animals I will not hesitate to shoot any chickens that stray onto my property, the same as dogs. Those with collars are obviously pets and are exempt from my shoot and kill policy, but, then again I see few chickens with collars on.

Truckloads of fowls are moved into more remote areas or other provinces once the disease is observed.

This disease will not be eradicated until the farmers top treating their chickens as pets and letting them roam at will.

Mouse:

You got the point, it will take a long time to educate the farmers.

I think I'll open a "Chicken Hospital", I know some people would probably pay a lot of money to have their favorite fighting cock cured!

Careful! Ever heard of "Coq-au-vin?"